The last century of archaeological research has increased our understanding of the rise and collapse of kingdoms and empires across the ancient world. Nowhere have these leaps in knowledge been larger than in East and Southeast Asia, where archaeological work on more than a dozen ancient states offers unprecedented views of the relationship between urbanism and the ancient Asian state. This lecture introduces the audience to several ancient civilizations in East and Southeast Asia, and showcases archaeological research on the capitals of the Bronze Age Chinese Shang state (2nd millennium BC) and of the Khmer Empire (1st to 2nd millennium CE). Field-based research in both regions offers insights on the economic structure of Asian states, the role of ritual in rulership, and the formation of Chinese and Khmer civilizations.